Browns schedule released: Open at home vs. Miami, host Bills in prime time

BEREA — Coach Rob Chudzinski will start his Browns career at home, just like all his predecessors since 1999. He’ll try to be the first to begin with a victory.

The Browns will open the season at home for the 14th time in 15 years since returning, facing Miami on Sept. 8 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns are 1-13 in openers, and Chris Palmer, Butch Davis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini and Pat Shurmur lost their debuts.

The lone opening win came in Davis’ final season, 2004, a 20-3 home win vs. the Ravens.

The entire NFL schedule was released Thursday night. The Browns’ only prime-time appearance is Oct. 3, when they host the Buffalo Bills on a Thursday night.

“It should be exciting for our fans to have a home prime-time game, where their passion can be seen by a national-television audience,” CEO Joe Banner said in a statement released by the team.

The Bills game is in the middle of a three-game home stretch, and four of the first six games are on the shores of Lake Erie.

“Having four of our first six games at FirstEnergy Stadium will allow our fans to create a distinct home-field advantage for our team, and I expect the Dawg Pound to be barking early and often,” Chudzinski said.

The Browns end the season with road games at the New York Jets and Pittsburgh. Three of the final four games are on the road, including a trip to New England on Dec. 8.

The bye week is in Week 10 for the second straight season.

For the fifth time in six years the Browns play the Super Bowl champion. Cleveland travels to Baltimore in Week 2, and the Ravens return the favor Week 9.